The present invention relates to an antenna mount for supporting a dish shaped antenna and positioning same at a predetermined point in the heavens. Such antenna mounting can be used for a variety of purposes, such as support means for microwave transmission and receiving means, but finds its primary utility in receiving satellite transmission signals, particularly satellite television signals. Such satellites are each orbiting about the equator and such orbit and satellite rate of speed is so designed so that in combination with the rotation of the earth, the satellite appears to remain stationary at a given point in the heavens relative to the earth surface. Obviously, an antenna used to collect electrical signals from satellite transmitters must be mounted upon an apparatus designed so that the antenna may be aimed at a satellite and be re-aimed to still another satellite in another point of the heavens at will, all with a degree of precision.
In order to accomplish such "aiming," the satellite (dish shaped) antenna must be mounted on a mount that will permit the antenna to be positioned along the conventional xyz axis of three dimensional space in a convenient and precise manner. The present invention addresses this problem and provides a mounting means that will permit a variable positioning of an antenna in the vertical or "y" axis direction, a rotational positioning about the y axis in the xz plane, a variable positioning in the plane formed by an elongated cross member (pivotally attached to the last mentioned means) and the vertical axis, and a variable positioning about the longitudinal axis of the elongated cross member. The last mentioned positioning about the longitudinal axis is such that the antenna can literally be aimed or pointed from horizon to horizon, thus giving the mounting apparatus the ability to literally "sweep the heavens" to seek out all satellites in the antenna "line of sight."
Satellites that emit television signals are positioned along the equator at a height of approximately 23,500 miles from the earth's surface. A dish antenna, say located in North Carolina (Catawba County) "looking" at such satellites would not "see" the satellites, from horizon to horizon arranged in a circular path, but in an ecliptical-like path. Therefore, a mount to effectively aim a dish shaped antenna must have a means to make the antenna travel in a path like that "seen" to be formed by the satellites. This is accomplished in the present invention simply by providing a number of upstanding members on the mount's frame, e.g., four in number at the frame's corners, two of which are longer in length than the other, the shorter ones contiguous to one another and likewise the longer ones. To these upstanding members is attached the dish antenna. The frame is rotatably attached to so as tube positioned about the longitudinal axis of the elongated cross member by a linkage assembly that provides a horizon to horizon sweep in an ecliptical-like path so as to be able to position on and " see" the satellites from which the sought for television signals are sent.